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Nike Zoom Kobe IV Performance Review

1104 days ago - by Matt Halfhill - 66 comments
Nike Zoom Kobe IV Performance ReviewMuch hype and anticipation has surrounded the Nike Zoom Kobe IV since its public debut.  The fourth signature shoe by Nike for Kobe turned many heads and raised many brows with a low cut silhouette.

Don’t basketball shoes have to be a high top?  This was a question we were wondering – especially for a top caliber player with ankle injuries in the past.  In a few interviews Kobe also talked extensively about how lightweight the Zoom Kobe IV is and that it will allow you to jump higher.  All the buzz aside, we had to put this shoe to the test.

To do this test properly we called upon two of our staff writers who know a thing or two about shoes.  Nick Engvall has 5 years of footwear testing under his belt for a couple athletic companies putting their upcoming basketball shoes through the grind.  How do the Kobe’s compare to the countless shoes he has tested?  George Kiel III, our other tester, played point guard in Division I basketball for Texas St.  He himself never played in lows, what did he think of the Kobe IV’s?

Check out more detailed shots of the Nike Zoom Kobe IV after the break as well as the performance reviews and score cards on following pages.

Nike Zoom Kobe IV Performance Review
Nike Zoom Kobe IV Performance Review

Nike Zoom Kobe IV Performance Review
Nike Zoom Kobe IV Performance Review

Nike Zoom Kobe IV Performance Review
Nike Zoom Kobe IV Performance Review

Nike Zoom Kobe IV Performance Review
Nike Zoom Kobe IV Performance Review

Nike Zoom Kobe IV Performance Review
Nike Zoom Kobe IV Performance Review

Nike Zoom Kobe IV Performance Review
Nike Zoom Kobe IV Performance Review

Nike Zoom Kobe IV Performance Review
Nike Zoom Kobe IV Performance Review

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  • jz(cuba)

    where the review at?

  • Jason

    These are amazing shots of the shoes first of all!

    I agree with George and Nick both about how the shoes feel like they are attached to your feet. The first time I wore them my ankles felt really naked, but the shoes are real stable in the heel.

    Good looks Nice Kicks doing these reviews. I think this is a great addition to the site.

    GOOOOOO STEELERS!

  • sneakFREAK

    damn, at the bar on my iphone. I am def going to read this once i get back to the crib. I agree with jason that this is a good feature to add to the site. keep it up nice kicks!

  • sneakFREAK

    jz(cuba), the reviews are on page 2 and 3

  • Jay23

    thank you nice kicks for doing this report!

    I was thinking about getting the white kobe 4s and now after reading this I def am copping a pair. like what the other people said i think this is a good thing to have on the site.

  • young smilez

    those are no where near the lebrons

  • diego

    I can’t wait to get mine. Love the lakers, love kobe (pause), and love these kicks!

  • T.H.U.G.

    Very cool… I would like NiceKicks to do more of these reviews! My biggest question wasn’t answered, though. Does this solve the problem of the lunar foam bottoming out after 4 games that the Hyperdunks have, or do you still have to buy a new $120 pair every month?

  • greenmaker24

    ugly

  • jordan1985

    Screw 24 it’s 23 all day,kobe wish he was jordan lol suck ass b ! _ _ h

  • Hugo’s Boss

    if the kobe’s bottom out likt the HD’s, they should add full length zoom and take the hit on lightness

  • Hugo’s Boss

    they would probably be lighter than hyperdunks by half an ounce still

  • MVP24

    Thanks for the review. I am really liking the new stuff coming all the time on this site. Jordan1985, tell me how my ass tastes!

  • jordan1985

    Screw 24 it’s 23 all day,kobe wish he was jordan lol suck ass b ! ^* h

  • Idode

    good review
    it would be good if y guys did a review of the lebron VI’s i’d like to see how they match-up

  • baller

    Isn’t it a given that a low cut shoe will feel less restricting? If the shoe was high cut, 5/8, it would provide more stability and be a better value to the sport. As a low, it is just a casual shoe to kick it in, the average baller will not take the time to tape up ankles… What is the difference from playing in some well designed tennis shoes?

  • jordan1985

    Mvp24 u lil homo. dats u get down huh?lol get off kobe d!*k

  • bourne

    it’s a nice shoe… :P

  • sam

    it’s an alright shoe…, but why lowtop Kobe?

  • larry

    Steelers win the Super Bowl, yeah baby!!

  • mars

    a low-top??? Why Kobe, why?

  • tmax

    yall obviously don’t hoop. Used these for 2 games so far and they’re great. I prefer them over my home Kobe hd’s.best shoe I’ve hooped in.

  • mars

    #21,

    I guess you hoop and since we don’t, that makes you an expert in shoes!!! alrighty then!

  • pamela landy

    you ppl are silly, it’s about choice…! if you hoop, you’re good no matter what you wear…! right?

  • jason

    they aight!!!

  • Greg

    When I saw the score Cushioning 10 I stopped reading, cause it’s clearly a joke.

  • Greg

    Also, no ankle support in the “score report”. I wonder why?!

  • roro32

    nice review, i got em cause im a laker fan. love the look of the shoe but i was real surprised at the “feel” of it. cushioning, support are real noticeable but it takes a little time to build confidence in the support. its there though nike did an amazing job. good review from both cats and i agree with both for the most part. except the addition of durability, how many games or hours was the shoe put to the test? keep up the good work on the site. i would like to see this more often so nicekicks can pick up where kicksology left off from.

  • LiNG LiNG

    This is a great idea Matt. I definitely would like to see this more often. Keep up the great work. And why bash Kobe? They’re talking about his kicks. Some people are just ignorant….

  • KRIS

    do the lebrons next

  • Resident Hater

    Wow, you guys actually do legit testing on this site….

    …I THOUGHT IT WAS ALL ABOUT HYPE AND PERSONAL OPINION…

    …U should make a seperate site with performance reviews….

  • philaflava

    sneakers are awesome.

  • http://www.nicekicks.com Nice Kicks

    Greg,

    For years “ankle support” was seen as how restricted your ankles were from moving with a shoe. A low cut shoe is not going to restrict that motion nor give that false sense of security. Our testing opted to cover lateral stability in the forefoot and the heel separately to truly determine how well the foot was supported from the base.

    The Score Card is the same card that ALL shoes will be test with whether they are a high, mid, or low top shoe as well as for other non-basketball shoes.

    More test results will be posted shortly!

  • crwuser

    Yeah more tests!! I think everyone would like to know about the Lebrons. From that review of the Kobe 4 I would say they don’t Match up (the Lebrons). It takes sometime to break them in but after you break them the full zoom air feels like heaven and the shoes grip the court wonderfully. sadly the rest of the shoe starts to let you down, ankle support mostly. I have pain in my ankles after I play in them (no it’s not from getting crossed over) they just don’t really support the ankle that well. But finding out what pros think about them would be great.
    Thanks NIce Kicks!

  • MR Pusherman!!!!

    Ive played in them and they are scary lite!!! But they are a sturdy shoe and if you are light on your feet then this is the shoe. Like in other reports if you twist your ankle then no shoe can prevent that and I did LAND on a persons foot and I tweaked my ankle but I did play thru it!!! A+ shoe A++ quality and A- price we still in a recession lol

  • JumpoffJune**BROOKLYN SON WHAT!**

    For those that didnt care to watch the blog where Kobe described the sneaker – he said that his inspiration came from watching soccer players footwear, that are more lower cut than basketball sneakers…and they do stop and go cuts (IN GRASS NO LESS) that basketball players do! I CANT WAIT TO GET MY CUSTOM NIKEID.COM ZK4′s!! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • tae

    slap a jordan symbol on it and yall would go crazy over it. some people just wont let kobe do his thing just as people didnt care for jordan back in the day. it was about dr j, magic, and bird. nicekicks is the best site out for doing this test

  • Greg

    Nicekicks,

    Thanks for your response. I still don’t agree on the ankle support not being a separate score, but that’s your call.

    Please explain the cushioning tho… is it really a 10, which I interpret as THE BEST IT CAN BE. Lunar, really? REALLY??!!

  • faded8119

    For all you kobe haters, here’s a lil fun fact for you….spike lee was just on espn radio with max kellerman, and he said that when he asked jordan recently over the holiday break who the best player in the NBA is rite now, JORDAN FLAT OUT SAID ITS KOBE, NOT LEBRON NOT WADE…HE SAID KOBE….booooooooyah!!!!!

  • Champ

    Lets see a performance review of the other massive beast in the league, Mr. Lebron James & his “Six” … keep up the good work. Kobe IV’s are right on point, and other than durability over a long period of time, they are one of the best shoes I’ve ever hooped in.

  • Retro3

    Damn, about time Kobe got a sick signature shoe from NIKE

  • aliyah jenae crigler

    these shoes so hot fresh clean to me

  • DeMario Lewis

    MAN THIZ SHOE PHRESH AZZ HELL I GOT A PAIR

  • BKost

    I’m surprised they performed so well…

    Btw can we expect more of these types of reviews in the future?

  • BIG D

    already copped

  • Freddy

    mad idea to add these performance review.. i was a bit unsure if i should get the kobe 4s but now i’m sure i’ll def cop
    but does anyone know the the home colorway is gonna drop.. the white ones?

  • Brandon

    Great review! Im soooooo convinced! have to at least buy 3 pair! lol

    Ez-

  • OzzyPHX

    Got myself a pair. Customized them on Nike. Awesome, Great all around shoe. Also, i hate the Lakers as much as anyone, cuz im in Phoenix, but Kobe is still the best player in the league.

  • Rob

    Does Heel Stability = Ankle Support. If not Ankle Support should be added to the list.

  • HT

    Jordan XI low was so good but not many people like it
    I believe Kobe IV is even better than XI low

  • Vince

    Kobe 4 = Hyperdunks

  • Robby Lewis

    I am not even a big Kobe fan but these are the best basketball shoes I have ever worn. I have played for over 20 years and this shoe is by far the best, it grips the floor and you can barely even tell your wearing them they are so light. As far as them being low top while when your playing you don’t even notice it. I have had ankle problems in the past so at first I was nervous about these shoes but I would recommend them to anyone.

  • Harry

    Kobe always gets Nike’s best basketball shoes even if they as fugly as the kobe 3′s.

  • Carson

    I just ordered a pair. Hopefully they will be as comfortable as Lebron’s and as light as Hyperdunks (Which are much more durable than people give them credit for.)

  • GSW_fan

    Great review.

    I have logged 10+ pickup games in these and rate the Kobe IV as the best shoes I have ever owned, finally dethroning the Nike Air Maestros from 94. I agree with Robby in that the grip and responsiveness is unreal. On cuts and drives to the basket you can tell you are a step quicker than before. I also was surprised about ankle support NOT being an issue (of course I may change my story when I break my ankle next week). I had owned the Lebron II-IV and decided to go with the Kobe’s because the new LBJ’s look like an army boot.

    My only complaint is I could tell the cushioning was beginning to wear down at about game #8 and on. I understand they were pushing to be the lightest shoe ever and I bet this was at the expense of durable long lasting cushioning.

    With that said, still amazing shoes and 9/10 rating.

  • andrew wu

    damn i really regret not buying these when they first came out. now i dont know how or where to get them

  • Kobe24=MONEY$$

    OK so if i’m a power forward and im kinda big (lets say 6 foot 175 pounds) are these shoes really gonna supply the support ill need?? i have a pair of hypermax’s and they are way too heavy, and all my friends are sayin these shoes are incredibly light….i just worry about the low tops….so someone please answer, are they supportive to the ankles?

  • Kobe24=MONEY$$

    oh yeah and saying, im alot faster than people my suze to be as big as i am,,,,,i run a 40 in 5 flat,,,,,if that will help any….i gotta know about the support

  • Lebron fan

    Even though im no kobe fan I picked these up yesterday and they are probobally the most comfortable and best shoe I hav eva owned. Thats a credit to kobe!

  • Andy

    @Kobe24=money
    Hey kobe24 to answer your question: Even though I haven’t tried these out for fear of injury, I can tell you that I’ve seen Josh Powell(PF) and Luke Walton(SF) of the LA Lakers wearing them. However, they have trainers taping their ankles before the game. So my recommendation is buy the shoes if you have a trainer to tape your ankles for you or if you don’t mind using ankle brace, otherwise buy a different shoe. Right now I’m balling in Jordan Melo M6, it’s been pretty good to me so far and it’s got really good ankle support it’s lighter than the hypermax. The Hypermax weighs at 18.2 ounces and the melo m6 weighs at 15.0 Ounces. If you still think that’s heavy you can get either the Hyperdunks or the Hyperize because they’re light (not as light as Kobe IV’s of course but that much heavier) The ZKIV weigh in at 11.6 Ounces. The Hyperdunks weigh in at 13.2 Ounces, and the Hyperize weigh in at 13.0 Ounces. So you choose, if you like lightweight with good ankle support pick the Hyperize. But if you like the feel of zoom air and don’t might the extra 2 ounces get the melo. Economic wise I would choose Hyperize for Melo is more expensive (it’s $190 up here in canada) everything’s expensive up here in canada like you won’t believe. ZKIV’s are $180, and LeBron 7′s are $230 up here. Sometimes I wish I lived in New York so I can buy shoes with more variety. Anyways, hope this helped and good luck finding the right shoe.

  • DjRobtrap

    nike Zoom Idiot INJURY 1 must be the name of the shoe, streetballers dont need to tape ankles, its hassle. hightops of this are gona be sick though. i hate kobe he made low tops. adidas got better support and sick designs. Praise ADIDAS

  • Ricardo

    Nice shoes.
    Not as good as the Hyper series but bettter than lebrons
    i bought the lebrons and they worked crap.
    But still i am a super Lebron James fan! (:

  • forrest

    Best basketball shoe I have ever worn. I’m 6’7″ and a jumper who has had 4 previous ankle injurys but I feel more confident of my ankles in these shoes than any mids I’ve worn. Also probably adds about an inch to and inch and a half to your running vert (probably not gonna help too much on true vert).

  • nikeguy

    if you lik these then buy the speed lows. they are the same but actually lighter! no flywire tho. got mine for 40

  • DLeigh

    I bought these shoes a couple months ago and loved them for the first several games I played in. However, I ended up severely spraining my ankle (albeit by landing on someone’s foot) playing in these shoes. I think it would have hurt with any shoe on, but I don’t think the injury would have been as bad in high tops. I tore a ligament and am still recovering 2 months later. I’m 26 and have been playing ball since I was 5, but have never had an ankle injury until now.

  • RHYS35

    the kobe iv is the best shoe iv had. over jordans, lebrons, adidas anything. i have the beijing to finals special edition pair and they look and feel great. they were a bit stiff but they are starting to break in now and are better than any basketball shoe out. the low cut carves any high cut shoe ive had. they are low, light, durable, good looking and are grippy as f**k. love these shoes. cheerz kobe. btw just coz kobe got the best shoes doesnt mean anyone can compare him to MJ23

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